Microsoft Gifts 20 GB of SkyDrive Storage to Windows Phone Users

While there's been no official confirmation of the deal, Microsoft has been emailing Windows Phone users this past week and awarding them with an additional 20 GB of SkyDrive storage. It's unclear if the offer is available only to new customers—perhaps those who bought a handset in 2013—or to all existing customers.

Like many, I received an email from the Windows Phone team over the weekend explaining the offer. (That said, I've also heard from many who have not received this email, so I'm sure there are going to be plenty of bruised feelings.)

"To show our appreciation of Windows Phone customers, we are giving you an extra 20 GB of free SkyDrive storage for one year," the email notes. "This is in addition to the 7 GB of free SkyDrive storage that all customers currently have."

Actually, I have 25 GB of free SkyDrive storage since I signed up when that service first offered more free storage. But let's not split hairs.

The email offers a link, which you must use by January 31, 2014, to add the 20 GB of additional storage to your account. The storage is available for free for one year starting on the day you click the link. I added the storage to my own account, and it's listed as "Enthusiast bonus." If that's what it is, I should have gotten 200 GB, but whatever.

As for the value of the 20 GB, it's not much: Microsoft doesn't even sell an additional storage tier that low. The lowest tier, 50 GB, costs just $25 per year. So 20 GB of storage has a street value of about $10.